{"title":"Vancouver permits for decks, sheds, carports and garages","question":"Do I need a permit for a deck, shed, carport, or garage in Vancouver?","slug":"deck-shed-garage-permit","place":{"path":"ca/bc/vancouver","name":"Vancouver","region":{"code":"bc","name":"British Columbia"},"country":{"code":"ca","name":"Canada"}},"category":{"slug":"building-and-renovating","name":"Building, renovating and your property"},"owner":"municipal","owner_label":"Municipal","owner_body":{"name":"City of Vancouver","url":"https://vancouver.ca"},"short_answer":"Vancouver lists building or altering a garage, shed or deck among work that generally needs a permit. Give the Development and Building Services Centre your plans to confirm the approvals before you start.","aliases":[],"cost":null,"how_long":null,"where":[{"type":"phone","label":"City Hall","value":"311"}],"documents":[],"forms":[],"related":[{"slug":"building-permit","title":"Vancouver building permits: when you need one and how to apply","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/vancouver/building-permit/"},{"slug":"building-permit-fees","title":"Vancouver building permit fees","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/vancouver/building-permit-fees/"}],"nearby":[{"place":"ca/bc/richmond","name":"Richmond","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/richmond/deck-shed-garage-permit/"},{"place":"ca/bc/burnaby","name":"Burnaby","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/burnaby/deck-shed-garage-permit/"},{"place":"ca/bc/north-vancouver","name":"North Vancouver","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver/deck-shed-garage-permit/"},{"place":"ca/bc/north-vancouver-district","name":"District of North Vancouver","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver-district/deck-shed-garage-permit/"},{"place":"ca/bc/new-westminster","name":"New Westminster","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/new-westminster/deck-shed-garage-permit/"},{"place":"ca/bc/delta","name":"Delta","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/delta/deck-shed-garage-permit/"}],"topic":{"title":"Deck and shed permit thresholds in British Columbia, by municipality","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/deck-shed-garage-permit/"},"facts":{"shed":{"label":"Sheds","value":"Building or altering a shed generally requires a permit. Confirm the requirements for your project with the City.","short":"Yes, generally","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://vancouver.ca/home-property-development/when-you-need-a-permit.aspx","title":"When you need a permit","section":"Risks of working without a permit when it is required","quotes":["* Building or altering a garage, shed, or deck"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-09"}},"deck":{"label":"Decks","value":"Building or altering a deck generally requires a permit.","short":"Yes, generally","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://vancouver.ca/home-property-development/when-you-need-a-permit.aspx","title":"When you need a permit","section":"Risks of working without a permit when it is required","quotes":["* Building or altering a garage, shed, or deck"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-09"}},"garage_carport":{"label":"Garages and carports","value":"The City lists building or altering a garage among work that generally requires a permit.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://vancouver.ca/home-property-development/when-you-need-a-permit.aspx","title":"When you need a permit","section":"Risks of working without a permit when it is required","quotes":["* Building or altering a garage, shed, or deck"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-09"}},"zoning_limits":{"label":"Zoning limits","value":null,"status":"unknown","reason":"not_found","note":"Checked When you need a permit; not found there.","sources":[]},"bylaw":{"label":"Bylaw","value":null,"status":"unknown","reason":"not_found","note":"Checked When you need a permit; not found there.","sources":[]}},"facts_summary":{"total":5,"stated":3,"matched":3,"none":0,"unknown":2},"body_markdown":"## How it works\n\nDescribe exactly what you are building. A storage shed, a roofed carport, an enclosed garage and an elevated or covered deck do different things, even when they have the same footprint. Building or altering a shed generally requires a permit. Confirm the requirements for your project with the City.\n\n## Steps\n\n1. Check your proposed structure against [When you need a permit](https://vancouver.ca/home-property-development/when-you-need-a-permit.aspx). Measure the footprint and height. For a deck, also record the height above ground and whether the work adds a roof or enclosure.\n2. Draw the structure in relation to the home, lot lines and other buildings. Compare the design with both the permit threshold and the rules for siting it on the lot.\n3. Start with the City’s building permit application process online, then sign in to track the application or pay fees.\n\n## Good to know\n\n- Find your Vancouver property on the City’s Digital Zoning Map and note its district.\n- If you later connect the structure to the house, enclose it or change its intended use, ask the permit office about that revised design.\n- For a question about the footprint, height above grade and distance from each property line, call City Hall at 311. Give the height at the highest point above adjacent ground if the land slopes.","sources":[{"url":"https://vancouver.ca/home-property-development/when-you-need-a-permit.aspx","title":"When you need a permit","accessed":"2026-11-09"},{"url":"https://vancouver.ca/home-property-development/building-permit.aspx","title":"Building permit","accessed":"2026-11-09"},{"url":"https://zoning.vancouver.ca/","title":"Digital Zoning Map","accessed":"2026-11-09"},{"url":"https://vancouver.ca/your-government/contact-the-city-of-vancouver.aspx","title":"Vancouver municipal office contact information","accessed":"2026-11-09"}],"sources_read":"2026-11-09","review":{"status":"machine_checked","badge":"Checked against official text","label":"Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 3 of 5 facts was matched to the official text; 2 could not be confirmed."},"urls":{"html":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/vancouver/deck-shed-garage-permit/","markdown":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/vancouver/deck-shed-garage-permit.md","json":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/vancouver/deck-shed-garage-permit.json"}}